At this year’s Conservative Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has partnered with STEM Learning to hold an open fringe panel discussion: ‘Levelling up in a science superpower: what do we need from science in schools?’.
The government aims to boost UK Research & Development (R&D) investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027. R&D investment has traditionally centred on the ‘golden triangle’ of London, Oxford and Cambridge, yet, as part of the levelling up agenda, parity of investment across the country will be key. It is timely to now ask what role science education can play in building a diverse pipeline of talent and how we can ensure that all children can access these opportunities, regardless of socioeconomic background and location. According to the OECD, “taking more science courses benefits disadvantaged students even more than it does their more advantaged peers,” boosting literacy and numeracy and helping to close the attainment gap. With the aim of supporting children and young people to engage with STEM regardless of geographical location, what role can science education play in making a success of that R&D investment and the wider levelling up agenda?
This panel will bring together policy makers, business leaders and STEM education experts to investigate how an investment in science education can lead to narrowing the attainment gap, promoting economic growth across the country and creating employees of the future with the tools to think critically. It will also consider the key role of teachers in this investment and the effect of CPD on pupil outcomes and teacher retention.
We are delighted to welcome Yvonne Baker (Chief Executive, STEM Learning), Carl Ennis (Siemens UK), Natalie Perera, (Education Policy Institute), Dr Ben Spencer MP (MP for Runnymede and Weybridge) and Riffat Wall (Headteacher, Urmston Grammar School) to the panel.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Conservative Party.**
